A Rather Rough Day
by Luminescify
Summary: Inuyasha is having a very bad day. One headache leads to another, which leads to quite the blow-up. The aftermath of the his explosion is not pretty, and how do Inuyasha and Kagome cope with it? Rated T for Inuyasha's language.
1. Chapter 1

**This story fits in reasonably early in the series...a few months after Kikyou tries to drag Inuyasha down to Hell with her. **

**This just came to me rather randomly, and I hope you like it. Whatever your thoughts, let me know with a review. **

**Thank you for reading. =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. **

**A Rather Rough Day**

**Chapter One **

Inuyasha was not in a good mood. In fact, he was feeling lousy. The day had been a catastrophe, moving from one disastrous situation to another.

They had spent the night in Kaede's village and Kagome was in her house. Miroku, Sango and Shippou were happy to be back in the village, regaling Kaede with tales of their adventures on the road, but Inuyasha could stand only so much of small talk. He soon left the little hut to seat himself comfortably in the tallest boughs of Goshinboku.

As the night wore on, Inuyasha had bouts of fitful sleep; his mind was plaguing him with dreams of his mother, which merged into dreams with Kikyou, Kagome, and Naraku in them.

He couldn't remember what he saw, but every time he jerked awake, drenched in a cold sweat, he could recall flashes of their faces. He could see fear etched into his mother's features, her face aglow from the half light thrown by torches held by shrieking villagers, the fire of hatred in the eyes of the same villagers who hunted them down.

He could then see snatches of myriad expressions on Kikyou and Kagome's faces, with Naraku's sickening chuckle echoing in the background.

Needless to say, he was most irritable by the time dawn rolled by. Not even the streaks of pink on sky, barely visible through Goshinboku's foliage and the dappled streams of sunlight filtering through could make him feel better about the morning.

He was most anxious to get on the road and even by about seven in the morning there was no sign of Kagome.

She returned late from her world on the other end of the Well, almost at nine, and this had put him on edge. He had spent most of the morning pacing up and down, a vein pulsing dangerously in his forehead. He resented the others for simply being able to lounge around Kaede's hut, not caring that Kagome was late. How they could just _sit _there is good faith was beyond him. He knew better. Kagome didn't really want to be there with them, in the Sengoku Jidai, and she sat and lingered as long as possible in her world. He knew.

When she finally came up, lugging that useless yellow bag (Which he ended up carrying most of the time. True, _he _offered to carry it, but it was only because it slowed her down to an unbearable crawl. And that wasn't the point anyway.), and a guilty smile on her face, he snarled at her and the rest of them to get their asses on the road. He ignored the indignant expressions on Miroku, Sango and Shippou's faces and the rather hurt look on Kagome's face and stubbornly began heading out of the village, without a word to Kaede or anybody else.

He was silent and sullen on the road as well and nobody could say anything to draw him out. He even rebuffed Kagome's repeated attempts at conversation and turned his head to the other side.

When they stopped for lunch, he walked away and sat atop some tree, refusing to eat. Kagome came behind him again, offering up Ramen. She said that he didn't even have to join them, that he could eat atop the tree. This too he ignored; poisonous thoughts swirling in his head. He was sure this was all pity from Kagome, as well as a poor attempt to make up for traitorous thoughts of hating having to come with them. Hah! See if he cared. He needed no wench's attempts to assuage her own conscience.

As she walked away from the tree, dejected, he felt the spike of sadness pervade her scent, laced with confusion. A small voice at the back of his head made him feel a little guilty, but he decided to ignore it. He could hear the others' whispers, wondering at his rotten mood and pathetic behaviour.

Petulancy overtook him and he decided that they were all fools no different from every single rotten human he had ever had the misfortune of meeting. He was restless, he moved from branch to branch, unable to get comfortable in one position, the roughness of the boughs simply reminding him of his dream, and intensifying feelings of unease.

They got back on the road relatively fast, nobody wanting to provoke the already seething hanyou. Kagome tried holding out an olive branch one last time, tentatively sidling up to him and asking whether everything was alright. But when all he did was snarl at her that he was _just fine_, she stalked away and walked next to Sango, who held her hand tightly as tears welled in her eyes.

Inuyasha's nose twitched at salty tang of the air, but he could not bring himself to apologise. The sun beat upon his face, setting his skin on fire and splitting his head with an ache that refused to dull. So all he did was glare back at Miroku, Sango and Shippou who were all fixing their own versions of the death-glare on him.

At twilight, the group was begging exhaustion and after a shouting between Inuyasha and Miroku and Sango about visibility and the dangers of travelling at night, he groused about "fucking weak humans" and was about slink away, when a glow of light caught the corner of his eyes.

His head turned at the same time as Miroku and Sango. Sango's lips thinned and she resumed clearing bedding space with unwonted venom in her movements and Miroku shook his head, and resolutely fixed his eyes on the wood he was splintering to start a fire.

Kagome saw the Shini-Dama-Chuu a moment later than everybody else, and when she did, her face closed up and she too busied herself in her bag, getting things they didn't really need, and putting them back in.

Inuyasha's eyes travelled from the Shini-Dama-Chuu, to Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara playing in the corner, and finally rested on Kagome, who refused to look up and meet his eyes. She usually responded with a low "Go,", or waved him away, or gave _some _sign, but this time, she kept her eyes trained on her bag. Couldn't blame her, he knew.

He felt sick at heart for treating Kagome this way. He regretted his harsh words from before and needed her comforting presence and soothingly distracting, optimistic banter. He needed all his companions; his friends.

Feeling the weight of the world on his back, Inuyasha's shoulders sagged as he slowly shuffled behind the luminous soul-stealers.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Rather Rough Day**

**Chapter Two**

As he walked through the forest, he couldn't help feeling how much he _didn't _want to meet Kikyou at that point of time. He was already on edge, and in deep shit with the others, and this was pretty much the last thing he needed at this point of time.

After roughly ten minutes, the Shini-Dama-Chuu whooshed ahead and began coiling about something he couldn't see, and he knew it was Kikyou, within her barrier. He wearily lifted his head and tried to school his expression into something presentable.

Suddenly, without warning, the barrier was dissolved, and he saw Kikyou before him, reposing against the trunk of a tree. Her dark, soulful eyes met his and he managed a weak smile.

"Kikyou," he greeted.

"Inuyasha," she returned.

They stared at each other in silence for a few moments and finally, Inuyasha could take it no longer.

"Is there anything you wanted to say to me?" he muttered.

She looked at him thoughtfully, and said, "No... I was nearby, and I could sense deep disturbance in your _youki_. I simply wondered what it could be."

Irked that he was pulled out because of a relatively unimportant reason and yet, touched at her concern, he sighed, "Nothin's up, Kikyou. Having a bad day is all."

She gave him an appraising look again and pressed, "Are you sure?"

Waving away her concern, Inuyasha insisted, "Yeah. Said so already, didn't I?"

Smiling at the gruff familiarity, Kikyou said, "It's been a long while, Inuyasha. How are things?"

"Good," muttered Inuyasha, his head bowing under the weight of the ache that continued to pound from within.

Kikyou stood up, and moved towards him, raising a pale hand to touch his cheek.

"You're flushed," she whispered.

Wincing, he nodded curtly and moved his head ever so slightly, upsetting her light touch.

Determined to overlook his tense demeanour, Kikyou moved closer still, and tried to entwine her hand with his and lean her head on his chest.

Panicking completely, Inuyasha jumped back, panting, and looking away, an odd shine to his eyes.

Kikyou rounded on his, her own eyes flashing.

"What's gotten into you, Inuyasha? I don't understand you today! Forgive me for trying to make you feel better!"

Wincing as Kikyou volume escalated, Inuyasha entreated, "It's not you, Kikyou. Like I said, I'm having a bad day. Please..."

Moving towards him again, Kikyou tried to place her hands on Inuyasha's chest to sooth him, but he jumped back again, and ground out, "Don't...do that."

Gritting her teeth, Kikyou demanded, "What is the matter with you? Do I repulse you now? It cannot be my body of clay, for but scarce months ago, you were embracing me, ready to jump into hell with me for all eternity!"

"Stop shouting, Kikyou, please!" Inuyasha begged, his years flattening against his head. "And, you cannot throw that at me; you had me under a spell, and you lived off the hate of your last living hours on Earth!"

"Oh, so, you are saying that but for the spell you would not have embraced me?" Kikyou hissed in a venomously low voice.

"Kikyou, I don't know! That situation is screwed up. You had Kagome under a spell as well, didn't you, concealed from me, and unable to move and speak?"

"Kagome!" shrieked Kikyou, pointing a shaking finger at Inuyasha. "That's what is happening. You are becoming far too close to the girl. And that's exactly what she is: a chit of a _girl_! What she has done to deserve the honour of your defense I know not! Do not forget, Inuyasha, she is the reason we are on the needless quest to complete the Shikon no Tama, complicating the destruction of Naraku all the more! She broke it! She does not even have a soul of her own! She has part of my soul. _My soul!_ Do not have the audacity to mention her name in front of me, and ask me whether I treated her _nicely or fairly!"_

"Stop it, Kikyou!" shouted back Inuyasha, who had had enough. "Enough! You don't know her! I swore to protect her!"

And at the same time he was yelling back at Kikyou, Inuyasha could not help but think of how rude and unfair _he_ had been to her today. And as he yelled at Kikyou, he knew that Kagome was not just some worthless human. He knew she was genuine, and he got all the more angry at himself for behaving that way.

"Oh, by the kami, defend her! Do as you wish with her Inuyasha, but let me remind you, spell or not, you have a duty to _me _too. She is not the only one you swore to protect. You are not _free_, Inuyasha. Never forget that."

By this time, Kikyou had tears streaming down her cheeks, and was hurtling each word at Inuyasha as though it were a stone. She did not want to say such things. She did want to have to bind Inuyasha to herself using guilt. She wanted him to come to her of his own accord. But, she was so lonely. She was so filled with sorrow, she felt backed into a corner. If reminding him of their past, and a fateful day fifty years ago was the only arrow left in her quiver, she would use it.

Twitching under all the stress, Inuyasha snarled, "Fuck! Leave, Kikyou! We'll talk 'bout this later! And don't think I've forgotten my promise to you! I'm just as aware of it as you are! I don't need you policing me, goddamn it!

And with that, Inuyasha turned on his heel and strode out of the forest, not looking back once, but swirling with feelings of inflamed anger, sorrow, and guilt. He left behind a distraught Kikyou, whose last arrow had failed her.

* * *

Inuyasha stormed back into the clearing where the rest of the group had made good use of time and had set up camp. They all looked at him, but he just added kindling to the fire and went and sat by himself in a corner.

An hour passed in relative silence, and soon, Shippou started tugging on Kagome's shirt, asking for dinner. Since Inuyasha hadn't been there to catch anything such a rabbit or the like, Kagome brought out her ninja food again and Sango started the boiling the water, smiling encouragingly at Kagome to just act normal. Shippou contentedly drank from a juice box and watched Miroku whittle a stick as the girls fussed about, getting the food ready.

Kagome and Sango carefully poured the hot water into the plastic cups of Ramen and swilled it about, willing the noodle to soak in the water as soon as possible. Miroku looked up from his work and said quietly, "Inuyasha, dinner?" Receiving little more than a growl from the hanyou who seemed to have folded inside himself, Miroku shrugged and resumed whittling.

When it was ready, Miroku and Shippou moved forward eagerly, accepting their cup with thanks and waited for Sango and Kagome to pick up their own cups before starting. But Kagome motioned for Sango to go ahead, and picking up a Ramen cup, walked over to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," Kagome began hesitantly, "Please eat. You haven't had a thing all day, and I'm just a little worried."

Inuyasha's mind was all awhirl, and his thoughts were still angrily focused on the heated exchange with Kikyou. He shrugged her away, but Kagome persisted, pleading in a soft voice:

"Inuyasha, please? Do it for me?"

Inuyasha snapped and stood up abruptly, the lines of his face harsh.

"How fucking _much _am I supposed to do? It's never enough, it's never right! I've had it! I don't want duty anymore; I don't want to be bound anymore! I'm tired, do you hear me? I'm fucking _tired!_" he roared and went sprinting in the opposite direction, deep into the forest.

Kagome sank to the ground at that spot, the Ramen cup falling from her limp hand and rolling across the ground, the soup and noodles spilling everywhere.

She hid her face in her hands, but Sango and Miroku noticed with alarm, her shoulders shaking, and rushed to hug her from each side. Safely ensconced with the circle of her friends' arms, Kagome burst into tears.

**I hope you enjoyed this; I hope to have the third chapter out pretty soon. This isn't going to be a long story. **

**Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Not too shabby, I've put up this chapter and the next within the week! : ) **

**Thank you for reading!**

**A Rather Rough Day**

**Chapter Three**

Miroku moodily poked the dying embers and watched the last of the sparks feebly linger in the air, before melting into the night's inky darkness. The day's events weighed on his mind, and he gazed at the four sleeping forms next to him.

Sango slept on her back, her long hair fanning her head. Her eyes were shut to the world and a passerby would assume she was in the deepest state of sleep, but Miroku knew that she could be ready for battle in scarce moments. His eyes softened as they lingered on her face, wiped smoothed of all the troubles that daylight brought.

Next to her, Kirara was a tiny ball of fur, purring contentedly, intermittently. Miroku knew that she too could be roused in a second and it wouldn't take much for her to be ready for anything they needed of her.

Shippou was in Kagome's sleeping bag and he truly was knit up in the deep sleeves of slumber. A small smile quirked at the ends of Miroku's mouth as he thought of all the little fox's antics and tricks.

Last, they moved to Kagome. Her sleep seemed to be most fitful; she tossed and turned at regular interval, occasionally whimpering. The smile slid off his face as memories of her tears earlier in the evening came to him. With her small frame, drowning in her colourful and baggy nightclothes, she looked vulnerable and utterly innocent. And yet, he thought, who would have known one so small to possess reserves of strength this vast?

She had given herself a little while to cry out her frustration, confusion and hurt, but then had gotten up, dried her tears and put on a brave face. She had eaten some dinner of their insistence and gone about tidying up with an admirably calm demeanour.

Inuyasha was the only one missing. He had stormed out after his outburst into the woods, and no one had gone after him. Miroku wondered at his behaviour. Buddha knew they all had days when everything seemed to go wrong and bad moods on such days were given leeway, but this was ridiculous!

Shaking his head a little, Miroku reached for one of Kagome's durable bottles and took a deep sip of water. Gripping his staff a little tighter, Miroku let his mind wander...

After about an hour or so, a rustling nearby awoke Miroku, who had been nodding off a little. His eyes snapped open and he looked sharply at the direction from which he thought he had heard the sound, and all he managed to see was a sudden red blur... a rather familiar red blur.

Clicking his tongue softly, Miroku resumed his earlier relaxed posture. This time though, he concentrated on meditating, and refused to let himself sleep.

Half an hour passed by peacefully, but more rustling had Miroku getting a little frustrated.

"Inuyasha," he sighed, but when he looked closely, it was Kagome carefully wriggling out of her sleeping bag, trying her best not to wake Shippou.

"Kagome-sama?" he called softly.

"Oh, Miroku-sama, I can't sleep. I keep waking up, and I don't know, it's just tough."

"I know, Kagome-sama, it's alright", said Miroku sympathetically and moved a little, "Would you like to sit here awhile? It's warm, and I daresay you might feel a little better."

Kagome hesitated for a second, then nodded and scampered to where Miroku was. She sat next to him, and fidgeted with the hem of her night shirt, smoothed down her pyjamas, and desperately thought of what she could say.

Miroku smiled rather indulgently at her and said, "It's quite alright, Kagome-sama; you only need talk if you wish to. Silence is just fine."

Chuckling weakly, Kagome nodded and leaned back, looking at the stars.

Thus they passed time for a little while, until Kagome suddenly sat up and said, "Miroku-sama, do you know what I do if I'm feeling a little down at home?"

"What, Kagome-sama?"

And with a rather mischievous smile, Kagome replied, "Raid our candy drawer!"

Laughing softly, Miroku said, "It sounds like a fine plan, Kagome-sama. And what are friends if you cannot share sorrows with them? It sounds like you might need my assistance in this sweet catharsis."

"Very true," agreed Kagome sagely, struggling to keep a solemn face. Giving up and allowing a smile to bloom across her face, she said, "Let me go get my bag, it's all in there."

And so, Kagome got up and padded over to her sleeping bag, and was rather startled when she could not find her shockingly yellow bag. "Miroku-sama," she called out, mindful of her volume, "Have you seen my bag anywhere? I could have sworn it was right next to me when I got in my sleeping bag..."

Miroku joined her in her quiet search and suddenly straightened, remembering something.

"Kagome-sama," he begun a little hesitantly

"Yes?"

"I rather think Inuyasha has it."

"What?" she whirled around.

"Well, roughly two hours ago, I thought I heard a noise, and when I looked up, all I saw was a blur of Inuyasha's fire rat. I assume he took your bag, if it was there when you were sleeping; none else has been here."

Kagome grit her teeth, set her jaw and looked Miroku square in the eye when she said, "I've had it with that baka. He behaves like a brat the whole day, he yells at me, and now he takes _my _bag? He refused dinner when I gave it to him, and now he's probably poking around from something to eat. Well, he isn't going to get any! He can stay the night hungry! I want my bag back, and I want my candy!"

"Alright, Kagome-sama," Miroku soothed, "Let's go find him. He won't be far."

"No, Miroku-sama," said Kagome, holding up a hand, "I'll go by myself."

"Kagome-sama..." Miroku looked troubled at that idea.

"I swear I'll be careful! I'll take my bow! You said yourself Inuyasha will be close by, and you just keep an ear cocked to my side. I'll call out if anything happens. I promise I'll be fine."

"Alright..." said Miroku suspiciously, "But I'm going to be waiting right by the edge. And you _promised _to be careful..."

"Okay. That's fine." Nodding, Kagome scooped up her bow and quivers and set out into the forest with sure-footed steps.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Rather Rough Day**

**Chapter Four**

Kagome crept through the forest carefully, avoiding the branches in her way, and trying not to step on too many dried leaves.

She'd been walking about for about fifteen minutes without any results, when she began to get frustrated. Refusing to stoop to the level of calling out his name, Kagome stilled and began to concentrate hard, trying to locate and pinpoint his distinctive aura.

"Aha!" she whispered, proud of herself when she succeeded and began gingerly making her way to where she felt Inuyasha's aura.

When she reached the spot and couldn't find see and tell-tale red or silver, began looking around confusedly. Suddenly realising something, she shook her head at her own silliness, and began to crane her neck and search for Inuyasha among the tree tops.

When she caught a flash of red, she tried her best to discern what he was doing, but could barely see. Frustrated, she stood on tip toes, and thought she saw some yellow there too. Enraged, and wanting to catch him in the act without giving him time for excuses, Kagome quickly spotted a tree next to the tall one Inuyasha was in and appraised it critically, wondering if she could climb it.

Shrugging, and deciding she could do it, Kagome set her bow down, and carefully began scaling the relatively short tree. She did her best to remain quiet and reached a considerable height when she felt a little winded. Settling herself against a branch, she clung onto it with one hand, and parted the leaves in front of her with the other.

She had a clear view of Inuyasha; he seemed to have his face buried in her bag. Anger and humiliation over the day's events overcame her and she yelled, "Inuyasha! What do you think you are doing? Let go of _my _bag right now! BAKA!"

Inuyasha jumped a mile out of his skin and goggled at her, "Kagome?!"

"Give it back to me!" Kagome continued screaming, "It's mine, and I don't want you touching it!"

Clearly shocked out of his wits, he asked, "What the hell are you doing in a tree? How did you get up there?"

"None of your business!" she shot back. "Let. Go. Of my. BAG!"

"Kagome," said Inuyasha, most alarmed, "Calm down...you'll fall down..."

"No!" Kagome shouted, actually shaking her fist at him, "You _don't _get to tell me to calm down! I've had it with you, you hear? Up till _here!_"

And as she tried to gestures until where exactly she had had it with him, her grip on the branch slipped a little and she desperately scrambled to regain a proper hold over it.

Inuyasha was very worried now, and entreated, "Kagome, come down to the ground, and we can...talk...'bout this, okay? You'll fall if you keep screamin' from there!"

"No!" she hissed. "I am _not _going to fa-_ kyaaa!"_

And with a panicked screech, Kagome began slipping down the tree, her grip completely lost.

Leaping off his branch, Inuyasha reached Kagome in one bound and when he caught her in a secure embrace, her hands scrabbled desperately at the front of his _haori_ for purchase. She squeezed her eyes shut, and opened them only when she felt Inuyasha step lightly onto the ground.

Letting go of him immediately, Kagome ran to the tree Inuyasha was in, and finding her bag and its contents all over the ground, she began hastily throwing in all her things, refusing to look at Inuyasha.

"Kagome," began Inuyasha, walking swiftly towards her, "You hurt? You might have gotten yourself a nasty scratch as you tumbled down..." And in concern, he reached towards her, but she recoiled, and jumped back. As she stood a distance away from him, panting, he could see blood staining through the torn sleeve of her right arm, and few cuts on the side of her face.

"No." said Kagome firmly, clutching her bag to her chest, "You stay away."

"K'gome...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of the shit I said." whispered Inuyasha, looking at his feet.

"Then why did you say it?" demanded Kagome.

"I was... I was having a bad day."

"So?" she snapped, "Doesn't mean you treat me and everyone like rubbish, especially when we're trying to help you!"

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head in shame, but he looked up and said, "Let me explain?"

"You better!" glared Kagome.

And so, Inuyasha launched into the tale of his day of woe, stuttering and hemming and hawing over words many times, but ultimately managing to get it all out.

"...and add to all the screw up, my head was fucking killing me. I'm sorry, Kagome. I'll apologise to the others in the morning. All that stuff I said about having had enough... I didn't mean a word. I was really frustrated with everything that had happened, I was angry with myself for behaving that way, and Kikyou just made it all worse. I don't see you as a duty. The promise to protect you is incidental. You're... my friend. I'd give my life up for you, promise or no. I'm also sorry I didn't come back and apologise earlier. I just... ah, fuck, I don't know..."

The fight slowly sagged out of Kagome's tense shoulders as she listened to Inuyasha blunder his way through one of the most sincere apologies she had ever heard. Suddenly though, she narrowed her eyes and pointing a finger at him accusingly, asked, "And what exactly, were you doing with my bag? Planning to raid all my candy?"

At that, Inuyasha's face went red and he began shuffling his toes, scuffing the dirt.

"Aha!" exclaimed Kagome, "You _were _planning on stealing my candy!"

"No!" said Inuyasha, still unable to look at her, "I was... I was _smelling _it..."

"What?"

"I told you, I had a really hard day. Everything felt upside down, and I felt so fucking rotten after yelling at you, I needed to calm down real bad. You were mad at me, and you were sleeping. The only thing other than you that has your scent that strong is your bag. I'm sorry..." mumbled Inuyasha miserably.

"Oh..." said Kagome softly, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah..." replied Inuyasha.

"So..." began Kagome with a tremulous smile, "You yelled at Kikyou, huh?"

"Yeah." smiled Inuyasha with a weak chuckle. "Shouldn't have done that."

"No." agreed Kagome.

"Whatever. I was a worse bastard toward you. I shouldn't have gone at all."

"No, don't say that, Inuyasha. It could have been information on Naraku; you weren't to know. You should go when she calls you."

Inuyasha cleared his throat, rather overwhelmed. Then suddenly remembering Kagome's tumble down the tree, stepped forward to check her arm.

"You're still bleeding a little. Have to clean up the cuts at any rate. I'm pretty sure there's a tiny stream a few miles down here. Let's go; your bag's with us anyhow."

"Okay," nodded Kagome, feeling equally awkward and carefully strapping her bag to her uninjured arm, climbed on Inuyasha's proffered back.

* * *

In just a few minutes, they were by a little babbling brook, the surface of whose water shone, reflecting muddled fragments of the bright gibbous moon above them all.

They stood by the stream, and Kagome noticed with dismay that her sleeve was ripped.

"Just take it off," she said a little mournfully to Inuyasha.

Nodding apologetically, Inuyasha carefully severed the sleeve from the shirt using his claws. He then proceeded to gently wipe her arm down and daub a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic onto the cuts. He did all this with exceeding care, making soothing noises every time Kagome hissed in pain, or winced.

Next, Inuyasha made sure Kagome was seated on a large rock comfortably before he sat in front of her and began cleaning her face. Kagome's eyes fluttered shut under his gentle touch and when his fingers stilled, she opened them, only to find his closed. Inuyasha was taking deep breaths with his palm cupping Kagome's check, a contented expression on his face.

Not wanting the magical moment to end, Kagome said nothing, but Inuyasha felt as well as heard the hitch in her breath. He slowly opened his own eyes.

Suddenly, Kagome found herself staring into eyes of molten gold, darkened by an emotion she did not allow herself to name.

Inuyasha let himself sink into the most unusual eyes he had ever seen; startling blue-grey, but then again, they befitted the most unusual girl he had ever met.

They stayed that way, a hair's breadth away from each other, for how long neither knew, but when he leaned forward imperceptibly, she did too, and then Inuyasha knew this was right.

It was nothing more than the chastest of kisses, lips lightly pressed against each other, but it was perfect.

They drew apart slowly, bowing their heads, but with small smiles on their faces.

And suddenly, Kagome looked at Inuyasha, the radiance of her smile momentarily stealing him of his breath. Closing her eyes, Kagome leaned forward again, and let her head rest on Inuyasha's chest. His arms wound around her, mindful of her cuts.

It was when they were still in this position that Inuyasha heard a muffled, "Your day get better yet?"

Chuckling Inuyasha replied, "What do you know, your kisses work even better than your scent."

* * *

**Yay, done! Let me know what you think. : )**

**Thank you for reading!**


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